Foldaway stand mounting structure for golf bag

ABSTRACT

A foldaway stand mounting structure includes a golf bag and a foldaway stand coupled to the golf bag, the foldaway stand including a holder plate pivoted to the top cuff of the golf bag to hold a pair of legs, a spring-supported actuating plate pivoted to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of the golf bag, and a link coupled between the holder plate and the actuating plate and adapted to force the holder plate and the legs outwards from the golf bag to an extended position when the user presses down the actuating plate with the foot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to golf bags and, more specifically, to a foldaway stand mounting structure for golf bag, which automatically forces the legs of the foldaway stand outwards from the golf bag to an extended position when the user presses down a hinged actuating plate at the bottom cuff of the golf bag with the foot.

[0002] A regular golf bag has a foldaway stand that can be extended out to support the golf bag on the ground in a tilted position. FIG. 1 illustrates a golf bag of similar design. As illustrated, the golf bag 3′ comprises a top cuff 31′, a bottom cuff two legs 1′ respectively pivoted to the top cuff 31′, and two steel wire rods 2′ each having a bottom end fixedly fastened to the bottom cuff 32′ and a top end terminating in a barrel coupled to one leg 1′. When pulling the legs 1′ outwards from the golf bag 3′, the top barrels of the steel wire rods 2′ are moved axially along the legs 1′. This foldaway stand mounting design is functional, however it has drawbacks. Because the steel wire rods 2′ are connected between the legs 1′ and the bottom cuff 32′ of the golf bag 3′ and exposed to the outside, they obstruct the sense of beauty of the golf bag 3′, lowering the value of the golf bag 3′.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a foldaway stand mounting structure, which uses a foot-operated linking structure to control the position of the legs. It is another object of the present invention to provide a foldaway stand mounting structure, which does not obstruct the sense of beauty of the golf bag in which the foldaway stand is installed. To achieve these and other objects and according to one embodiment of the present invention, the foldaway stand mounting structure comprises a holder plate pivoted to the top cuff of the golf bag to hold a pair of legs, a spring-supported actuating plate pivoted to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of the golf bag, and a link mounted inside the golf bag and coupled between the holder plate and the actuating plate and adapted to force the holder plate and the legs outwards from the golf bag to an extended position when the user presses down the actuating plate with the foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a golf bag showing the foldaway stand of the golf bag extended out according to the prior art.

[0005]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a golf bag showing the foldaway stand of the golf bag extended out according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the foldaway stand installed in the top cuff and bottom cuff of the golf bag and set in the received condition.

[0007]FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the foldaway stand extended out.

[0008]FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing the action of the foldaway stand according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0009]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the foldaway stand according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a part of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the actuating plate hinged to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of the golf bag.

[0011]FIG. 8 is an extended out view of a golf bag constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 10 is another perspective view of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the foldaway stand extended out.

[0014]FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing showing the action of the foldaway stand according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a part of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the actuating plate hinged to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of the golf bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring to FIGS. from 2 through 5, a foldaway stand 2 is coupled to a golf bag 1 at one side between the top cuff 12 and bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1. The golf bag 1 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ribs 11 connected between the top cuff 12 and the bottom cuff 13.

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 and FIGS. from 2 through 5 again, the foldaway stand 2 comprises two legs 21, a holder plate 22, a link 23, and an actuating plate 24. The legs 21 each have one end respectively fastened to the holder plate 22 at two sides. The holder plate 22 is pivotally secured to a part of the top cuff 12 of the golf bag 1 by a pivot 221. The link 23 has a top end pivoted to the holder plate 22, and a bottom end inserted through a part of the bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1 and pivoted to the actuating plate 24 by a pivot 241. The actuating plate 24 is hinged to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1 by pivots 243. Torsional springs 242 are respectively mounted on the pivots 243, each having two opposite ends respectively stopped against the actuating plate 24 and the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1. The torsional springs 242 imparts an upward pressure to the actuating plate 24, supporting the actuating plate 24 in an upwardly tilted upper limit position where the legs 21 are received with the holder plate 22 to the periphery of the golf bag 1.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 again, when extending out the foldaway stand 2, press the actuating plate 24 downwards with the foot to turn the actuating plate 24 from the upwardly tilted upper limit position about the pivots 242 to a horizontal position, namely, the lower limit position. At this time, the link 23 is lowered with the actuating plate 24 to force the holder plate 22 and the legs 21 outwards from the golf bag 1.

[0019] FIGS. from 8 through 12 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The foldaway stand 2 is coupled to a golf bag 1 at one side between the top cuff 12 and bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1. The golf bag 1 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ribs 11 connected between the top cuff 12 and the bottom cuff 13.

[0020] The foldaway stand 2 is comprised of two legs 21′, two holder plates 22′, two links 23′, and an actuating plate 24′. The holder plates 22′ are respectively fixedly fastened to two opposite sides of the top cuff 12 of the golf bag 1, each having a receiving chamber 221′. The legs 21′ each have one end respectively inserted into the receiving chambers 221′ of the holder plates 24′ and pivoted to the links 23′. The links 23′ are mounted inside the golf bag 1 and kept from sight, each having a top end respectively pivoted to the legs 21′ and a bottom end pivoted to the actuating plate 24′. The actuating plate 24′ is hinged to the bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1 by a pivot 241′. Further, a torsional spring 242′ is mounted on the pivot 241′, having two opposite ends respectively connected between the actuating plate 24′ and the bottom cuff 13 of the golf bag 1.

[0021] When pressing down the actuating plate 24′ with the foot (see FIG. 11), the links 23′ are moved with the actuating plate 24′ to force the legs 21′ outwards from the golf bag 1. On the contrary, when released the foot from the actuating plate 24′, the torsional spring 242′ forces the actuating plate 24′ back to its former position, and therefore the links 23′ are lowered to move the legs 21′ inwards to the periphery of the golf bag 1.

[0022] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What the invention claimed is:
 1. A foldaway stand mounting structure comprising a golf bag having a top cuff and a bottom cuff, and a foldaway stand pivoted to said golf bag and adapted for supporting said golf bag on the ground in a tilted position, wherein said foldaway stand comprises a holder plate pivotally secured to a part of the top cuff of said golf bag by a pivot, two legs respectively fixedly fastened to said holder plate and adapted for moving with said holder plate relative to the top cuff of said golf bag between a received position and an extended position, an actuating plate hinged to a bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of said golf bag by pivots, a link inserted through a part of the bottom cuff of said golf bag and coupled between said holder plate and said actuating plate, and spring means mounted on the pivots pivoting said actuating plate to the bottom cuff of said golf bag and adapted to support said actuating plate in an upwardly tilted position where said legs are received with said holder plate to the periphery of said golf bag.
 2. A foldaway stand mounting structure comprising a golf bag having a top cuff and a bottom cuff, and a foldaway stand pivoted to said golf bag and adapted for supporting said golf bag on the ground in a tilted position, wherein said foldaway stand comprises two holder plates respectively fixedly fastened to two opposite sides of the top cuff of said golf bag, said holder plates each having a receiving chamber, an actuating plate pivoted to a bottom sidewall of the bottom cuff of said golf bag by a pivot, two legs respectively coupled to said holder plates and turned inwards/outwards relative to said golf bag, said legs each having a top end respectively inserted into the receiving chambers of said holder plates, two links mounted inside said golf bag and kept from sight, said links each having a top end respectively pivoted to said legs in said receiving chambers of said holder plates and a bottom end pivoted to said actuating plate, and spring means mounted on the pivot pivoting said actuating plate to said bottom cuff of said golf bag and adapted to support said actuating plate in an upwardly tilted position where said legs are received with said holder plate to the periphery of said golf bag. 